Local vein expert launches products to aid healing

Del Mar Mesa resident Dr. Nisha Bunke, the CEO of La Jolla Vein Care, recently launched two all-natural post-surgery products, RECOVA Surgery Cream and RECOVA Tinted Arnica Cream.

The products promote healing for bruised skin while providing pain relief, working to reduce discomfort and discoloration, swelling and redness that can occur after treatments. The tinted arnica product can conceal bruising in highly visible areas while providing soothing relief.

Both products include a blend of nine all-natural ingredients including extracts from pineapple, sunflower oil, grapeseed, arnica, butcher’s broom, and coconut that work with sensitive skin and support recovery after surgery.

“As a physician interested in holistic health, it is important for me to address post-surgery care as an important part of preparing for surgery,” Bunke said. “These products were in high demand from my patients who wanted a soothing remedy and quick healing after surgical vein procedures.”

Previously only sold at La Jolla Vein Care, RECOVA products are now available for sale to the public.

Bunke has owned her private practice for nine years, specializing in minimally-invasive procedures to treat leg vein problems. A vein specialist, Bunke actually co-edited the textbook on the subject: “The Vein Book.” The book, published by Oxford University Press, has become a resource on the condition and treatment of varicose veins, spider veins and thread veins.

Bunke was interested in the medical field at an early age and, by 17, she was a volunteer firefighter and first responder. In college, she became an EMT.

She is currently appointed as a volunteer clinical instructor of surgery at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and a member of the Scripps Ximed Medical Group and VA Medical Center. For the past five years, Dr. Bunke has also managed the vein clinics at the VA Medical Center, providing vein care for veterans.

Many people experience vein problems— Bunke said it is most common in women and can happen at any stage of life. For some, varicose and spider veins are simply a cosmetic issue. For others, they may cause symptoms such as swelling and heaviness of the legs and in some cases may be a sign of an underlying medical issue such as venous insufficiency or venous reflux disease.

Bunke’s practice offers a variety of treatment options depending on the type of veins, extent of disease and other factors.

“I was inspired by my patients,” Bunke of the motivation to create RECOVA. “Over the years at the end of treatments, patients would ask what they could do to help reduce bruising or discomfort.”

She started the process to create her own healing cream in 2010, receiving feedback along the way and pursuing it more aggressively in 2012.

Scientifically she knew what the best natural ingredients would be to help with vein-related disorders and worked with a pharmacist to “create the ideal cream to optimize healing.” She included ingredients such as witch hazel help clear redness in the skin, the natural anti-inflammatory butcher’s broom, grape seed oil packed with vitamin E and horse chestnut, a natural remedy to improve poor blood circulation.

“It offers immediate relief,” Bunke said of the cooling effect of the cream that also reduces discomfort from itching. “It feels great once applied and feedback we’ve received is that it helps accelerate the resolution of bruising.”

What Bunke discovered is that the RECOVA creams can be used to relieve a much broader variety of minor outpatient and cosmetic surgical procedures, as well as bruising in general. She introduced the product to local medical spas and plastic surgery offices as its benefits extend to patients that have had procedures such as Botox injections, fillers, sclerotherapy and laser treatments.

With the launch, she is happy that her products help more people heal.

“It’s very exciting especially since I’ve worked on it for so many years,” Bunke said. “It’s great to be able to provide a solution.”

To learn more about RECOVA, visit recovacream.com